Photographing Time

Modern cameras are able to produce images at an indefatigable rate, so much so that it’s often said that more photographs have been produced within the last 12 months than all images created throughout the rest of human history combined.

This made me think.

Was there a way of slowing down?

That is, to capture a single image that encompasses everything that happens within a time frame akin to that 12 months through which the entirety of human visual artistic endeavour has been more than doubled in depth due to modern photography.

This is a series of images that together represents everything that has happened within frame over the past 12 months. Each image’s exposure time ranges from 1 month through to 8 months in length. The white lines you see are the sun’s star-trail as it moves through the sky during the exposure.

The method by which I achieved this is a process called ‘solorisation’ with my own unique twist I developed through very patient experimentation.

Pinhole cameras were used, made from shortbread tins, duct tape and black spray paint. Instead of using conventional media to capture my images I intentionally used out-of-date photo-sensitive paper that I had baked in an oven in place of traditional film.

Using my homemade equipment, I was able to place my cameras in opportune places and duct tape them in place for months on end, producing my portfolio, and capturing essentially 12 months within 6 frames.

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Hit download to see better detail.

It has emerged that this portfolio of images received a silver with distinction award with a score of 87 in this year's South Australian AIPP Creative Photography Awards. My portfolio also happened to be the second highest scoring portfolio of work submitted to the awards, which is quite exciting to have been rated so highly for my work. 

For a better understanding on the awards, please visit here: svenstudios.com/2014/06/2014-c…